Relay-armature



J. I. MITCHINER.

RELAY ARMATURE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1918.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

llVVE/VTUR James laflichuwr ZZM ATTORNEYS WITNESSES J. l. MITCHINER.

RELAY ARMATURE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1918. 1 35 1 ,674. nted Aug- 31, 1920.

Z SHEETSSHEET 2- INVENTOR James IMchner A nomvns WITNESSES asbw PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ISHAM MITCHINER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

RELAY-ARMATURE.

Application filed August 5, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES I. MITCHINER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Relay- Armatures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in relays, it being more particularly an improvement in relay armatures, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a telegraphic relay armature of such a construction that two or more electrical contacts are simultaneously made in separate circuits, upon the energization of the relay magnet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved armature for a relay, by which the making of one contact in each of two separate circuits simultaneously is enabled to be made, without the aid of supplementary springs.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a relay having an armature and cooperating contact mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation of the contact frame,

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the contact frame,

I Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of ig. 6 is a perspective view of the elliptical contact cylinder,

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a relay showing a modification in the construction of the armature and the cooperating contacts,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the modification illustrated in Fig. -7, parts being shown in section,

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7,

Figs. 10 and 11 are detail perspective views of the swivel contact block employed in Fig. 7,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Serial No. 248,362.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the contact posts,

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a further modification, and

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 13.

A relay armature equipped with the invention is capable of transmitting electric signals into two separate circuits simultaneously or in other words, is capable of doing the work of two relays of the present types. The principal application of the invention would be on telegraphic polarized relays forming a part of the apparatus in the construction and operation of duplex and quadruplex repeater sets, for directpoint repeating from one set into another set. At the same time, a reading sounder circuit is obtained without the use of an additional polarized relay usually called the leak relay. Furthermore, the local circuit! of the quadruplex set is controlled in that the neutral relayis positively locked during the time interval that the polarized relay armature tongue travels from one contactto the other.

-There are two general forms 'ofthe invention namely, the construction wherein the contact blocks or contact making members are mounted independently of the armature lever as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. and Figs; 13 and 14, and the construction'wherein the contact block is mounted on the armature lever as shown in F igs.-7- to 12 inclusive. These forms will be describedin regular order, similar reference characters being used to indicate parts which have the same function in all of the figures. Attention is now directed to the principal form of the invention and more particularly to the armature lever. The armature lever or tongue 1 carries contacts 2 and 3 which are insulated from each .other by a block of insulating material 4. The contacts 2 and 3 have platinum contact points at each side which in the vibration of the armature engage coacting platinum contact points of the independently mounted contact blocks or contact making members.

The contact making members comprise an elliptical contact cylinder 5 which is pivotally mounted in the circular opening in the head of a contact frame 6 by means of the diametrically oppositely disposed conical bearings 7 which rock in vertically disposed pivot screws in the head of the contact frame as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The elliptical contact cylinder 5 has oppositely extending ears 8 at each side.

Contact caps 9, 9 and 10, 10 are secured on the pairs oi ears at each side of the elliptical contact cylinder by either screws or rivets. Bin insert of insulating material 11 between each of the caps and the ears upon which they are mounted, serve to insulate each cap from the ear. Each pair of contact caps has a fixed and a movable contact which coact with the adjacent contact points on the armature lever.

The contact points 12 and 13 on the con tact caps 9 and 10 respectively, are fixed in place in any suitable manner and are made of platinum. The contact screws .12 and 13" are adjustable in the contact caps 9 and 10 respectively, and have platinum tips. The adjustments of the screws 12 and 13 are set in each instance by a suitable lock nut.

Mounted on the base of the relay is an L-shaped support 1 1 which has an inverted V-shaped slot 15. A correspondingly shaped guide 16 is "formed on the bottom of the contact frame 6 and slides in the slot 15. The contact frame is actuated by means of a thumb nut 17 which is located between the vertical arm of the support 14 and an ad jacent bracket, on a threaded stem18 which reaches to and has a swivel connection with the contact frame 6. By turning the thumb nut 17 in one or the other direction, the con- The magnet coils 20 of the relay are connected in series and terminate on the binding posts 32 and 33, being connected thereto by the wires and b respectively. The armature 21 which is in. electrical connection with the points on the contact 2, is connected to the binding post 27 by means of the wire 0 which leads to the pivot 22.

The contact cap 9 is connected to the binding post 28 through the wire (Z. The contact cap 10 is connected to the binding post 29 through the wire e,and the contact cap 10 is connected to the binding post 26 through the wire 7. The contact cap 9 is connected to the binding post 31 through the wire 9 and the contact 3 on the end of the armature tongue 1 is connected to the binding post 30 through the bond wire h.

The operation.

The armature 21 when actuated by electric current will cause the positive making of contact between 2, 3 and 9, 9 or 2, 3 and 10, 10. The simultaneous production of electrical signals in two separate circuits is enabled by this arrangement.

()ne circuit embraces the binding post 28, wire (Z, contact cap 9, contact 2 and armature 21, wire 0 and binding post 27, and binding post 31, contact cap 9, contact 3, bond wire 72 and binding post 30. These are the two separate circuits that are completed when the armature swings toward the right.

When the armature swings toward the left, the two separate circuits completed are as :tollows: binding post 26, wire 7", contact cap 10, contact 2, armature 21, wire 0, binding post 27 and binding post 29, wire (1, contact cap 10, contact 3, bond wire it, binding post 30. It will be perceived at once that the elliptical contact cylinder 5 is made movable for the definite purpose oi insuring the engagement of the various contacts when the armature swings to the right or left. @bviously, should one of the contacts on the armature lever engage its co acting contact before the companion contacts on the same side are engaged, the elliptical contact cylinder will be made to swing on its pivots and thus enable the engagemem of all of the contacts on that side.

The modification in 1 and 141 is identical in the principle of the operation to that of the preferred form of the invention just described. It will. be observed that the armature tongue 1 carries the contacts 2 and 3 which are insulated by the block 4, similarly as in the former case.

Instead of mounting the contact caps 9, 9 and 10, 10 on a single movable member, they have independent pivotal mounting in the forks 28 of the adjustable stems 18. The members of the forks 23 are insulated from the respective stems by the inserts 24 of insulation. The contact blocks 25 on the ends of which the respective contact caps previously referred to are mounted, are made of insulating material as will be seen in 13-, and these insulating blocks take the place of the inserts of insulation 11 in Fig. 2 which isolate the several pairs oi contact caps from each other.

The modification in Figs. 7 to 12 diiliers from the other two forms of the invention in that the contact block 3% which is made of insulating material is swivelly mounted on the end of the armature tongue 1. A pin 35 is fitted in the enlarged end of the tongue 1 and provides the support upon wl'iich the contact block 3 1 is arranged to swing int.

vertical plane. A metallic bushing 36 inside of the block 34 enables the completion of a portion of an electrical circuit from the lower contact cap 2 through a bond wire which connects the two.

An insulating bushing 37 slipped on the pin 35 ahead of the contact block 34, carries a metallic collar 38 which is in electrical connection to the binding post 30 through the bond wire 71/. The upper contact cap'S 011 the contact block 34 carries a brush 39 which engages the collar 38 thus completing the portion of an electrical circuit which embraces these parts and is equivalent to the similarly indicated parts in Fig. 1. A screw cap 40 is screwed over the exposed end. of the pin. 35 and a spring 41 is interposed between the screw cap and the contact block 34 so as to keep the contact block from sliding on the pin and at the same time reinforce the electrical connection between the bushing 36 and pin l\'lounted on the base 19 of the relay are two pairs of contact posts which have screw contacts for cooperating with the contact block 34. Each of these pairs of contact posts comprises a female contact post 42 which is provided with an opening 43 larger in diameter than the contact screw 44 of the adjacent male contact post 45, which passes therethrough as illustrated in Fig. 8. The contact post 42 also has a contact screw 46 at the top. hen the armature 21 is actu atcd, two separate circuits are simultaneously completed at each side by the engagement of the platinum contact points of the contact caps 2 and 3 with the contact screws 44 and 46 on one or the other side. It is thought unnecessary to repeat the paths of the respective circuits, it being suflicient to say that they are identical to the circuits already described, this being further evidenced by the same wiring arrangement in Figs. 1 and '7.

lVhile the construction and arrangement of the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. A relay armature having a plurality Oif insulated contacts, and a plurality of pairs of insulated contacts rockably mounted independently of the armature for adaptation to the associated armature contacts when the armature swings, and for simultaneous completion of a plurality of circuits.

A relay armature having a plurality of contacts insulated apart. a plurality of contr ts oscillatably mounted independently ot the armature and arranged in pairs to coact with the armature contacts, insulating portions between said independently mounted. contacts, to enable the simultaneous com pletion of a plurality of circuits upon .the engagement of the plural armature contacts with said independently mounted contacts, and means enabling one set of. contacts to move with respect to the coacting set of contacts enabling the accommodation of one set to the other and insuring the complete engagement thereof.

3. A relay armature having a plurality of contacts insulated apart, a plurality of contacts oscillatably mounted independently of the armature and arranged in pairs to coact with the armature contacts, insulating portions between said independently mounted contacts, to enable the simultaneous completion of a plurality of circuits upon the engagement of the plural armature contacts with said independently mounted contacts, means enabling one set of contacts to move with respect to the coacting set of contacts enabling the accommodation of one set to the other and insuring the complete engagement thereof, and means for adjusting said independently mounted plural contacts with respect to the armature contacts.

4. In a relay, a rockable contact making member comprising a metallic portion aranged to coact with a suitable support, insulation fixed on said member, and contact caps fitted on said insulation and isolated thereby, said caps being arranged to engage companion contacts and simultaneously complete independent electrical circuits.

A relay armature having a pair of contacts insulated apart, a rockablc contact making member circumposed on the contact end of the armature and having means enabling the attachment of insulation, insulating pieces attached to said means, contact supporting caps mounted on said insulation, and contact points carried by said caps to coact with said armature carried contacts, certain of said cap carried contacts being adjustable.

.6. A relay armature having a pair of contacts insulated apart, a rockable contact making member circumposed on the contact end of the armature and having means enabling the attachment of insulation, insulat ing pieces attached to said means. contact supporting caps mounted on said insulation, contact points carried by said caps to coact with said armature carried contacts, certain of said cap carried contacts being adjustable, and means including a portion circumposed on the contact making member, and provided with bearing means for rockably supporting said member.

7. A relay armature having a pair of contacts insulated apart, a rockable contact making member circumposed on the contact end of the armature and having means enabling the attachment of insulation, insulating pieces attached to said means, contact supporting caps mounted on said insulation, contact points carried by said caps to coact with said armature carried contacts, certain of said cap carried contacts being adjustable, means including a portion circumposed on the contact making member, and provided with bearing means for rockably supporting said member, and means for adjusting said supporting means to move said rockable contact making member in respect to the contact end of the armature.

8. A relay having an armature, a tongue fixed on said armature, and provided with a pair of contacts insulated apart, an elliptical contact cylinder having a pair of ears at each side, a contact cap fixed on and insulated from each of the ears, a contact point can ried by each of the caps to coact With the adjacent side of each of the contacts on the tongue, the opposing ones of said cap carried contacts being adjustable in one cap and fixed on the other respectively, a contact frame including a head circumposed on the elliptical contact cylinder, meansmutually carried by the head and the cylinder providing a bearing for the cylinder, a guide carried by the contact frame, means including a slotted slide receiving the guide, and means engaging the contact frame for moving the guide in said slide to adjust the elliptical contact cylinder in respect to the contact end of the armature.

9. A relay comprising adjustable supporting means, a contact carrying and making member rockably mounted on said supporting means, a relay armature, and a tongue extending from said armature extending between the contacts carried by said rockable member and having contact portions engaging said contacts to simultaneously com plete independent circuits terminating at said contacts at the end of the movement of the armature in each direction.

JAMES ISHAM MITCHINER.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. Mnnonn, Josnrrr L. ArrnnsoN. 

